 | Weekly Wire: December 9, 2021 The Staying Abreast: Weekly Wire e-Newsletter is a compendium of news, actions, and resources considered to be of interest or relevance to the breastfeeding field. The newsletter aims to support the USBC mission "To drive collaborative efforts for policy and practices that create a landscape of breastfeeding support across the United States." Included items are submitted for consideration or identified by the USBC e-news team via extensive online review. Whenever possible, the newsletter utilizes language directly from the primary source of an item without additional analysis or edits. In some cases, the USBC offers additional perspectives through the "USBC Insights," media and partner highlights, and the "News & Views" section. Inclusion of an item in the e-newsletter does not imply endorsement or support by the USBC of an item or organization, unless specifically noted. | | In this Issue: - USBC Updates
- Give a Heartwarming Gift and Support the USBC
- 2020 State and Territory Breastfeeding Reports Launch
- Technical Assistance Session on Non-Profit Operations
- USBC Featured in Employee Benefit News Article on PUMP Act
- Maternal Health Day of Action Special Section
- International News
- Statement on World AIDS Day 2021, summarized from ABM/WABA
- National News
- Call for Papers on Maternal and Child Nutrition, summarized from 1,000 Days/AJPH
- Report on Evidence for Maternal Health and WIC, summarized from FNS
- Advocacy Toolkit on Lactating Workers' Rights, summarized from CWLL
- Fact Sheet on COVID-19 Vaccines, summarized from MotherToBaby
- State & Community News
- Report on Breastfeeding Activities in Northeast Region, summarized from WIC
- Collective Impact Connection
- Interview on Centering Equity in Collective Impact Work summarized from CIF
- Paper on Innovation Ambition Continuum, summarized from Tamarack
- News & Views
 denotes a USBC member organization news item  denotes a USBC-affiliated constellation news item | | | | USBC Updates Give a Heartwarming Gift and Support the USBC | | During this season of giving, we invite you to give a gift from the heart with the limited-edition "Show Your Love" mug from the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee. It's the perfect gift for parents, grandparents, lactation support providers, advocates, teachers, nurses, doulas, or anyone on your list whose heart would be warmed with a collection of words celebrating babies, families, and lactation. The mug is available for $18 and will only be available until the end of the year. Get yours today. | | | | 2020 State and Territory Breastfeeding Reports Launch The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee released the 2020 State and Territory Breastfeeding Reports outlining critical data and federally funded activities in each state/territory. Each report features data on breastfeeding rates, disparities, maternity care practices, and WIC performance measures and highlights state and community-based projects made possible through federal funding in 2020. Download your state report to see how lactation outcomes compare to national rates and how federal investments in infant feeding are making a difference where you live. In the coming months, we’ll be coordinating various activities and educational opportunities to help you share the reports with policymakers – stay tuned! Technical Assistance Session on Non-Profit Operations | | The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) is launching a four-part Non-Profit Management Technical Assistance Series. The series is hosted in collaboration with leaders from the USBC Community. The series launches on Wednesday, December 15, 2021, at 2 p.m. ET with a 45-minute question and answer session focused on non-profit operations, hosted by Stephanie Hutchinson and Linda Kopecky. The hosts will provide a packet of resources and review questions from the field. Learn more and register here. | | | | USBC Featured in Employee Benefit News Article on PUMP Act The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) was featured in an Employee Benefit News article on the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act titled "Change is on the way for lactating parents." USBC Deputy Director, Amelia Psmythe Seger, and USBC Senior Advocacy & Communications Manager, Cheryl Lebedevitch, along with USBC member organization, pumpspotting, explain how the PUMP Act would address current gaps in federal protections for lactating workers. | | | | | | | | | | International News Statement on World AIDS Day 2021, summarized from ABM/WABA The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action and the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine released a joint statement on World AIDS Day 2021 titled "Supporting breastfeeding for a healthier future, leaving no one behind." The statement connects the goals of World AIDS Day to the positive impacts of breastfeeding on families, parents, and children. | | | | | | National News Call for Papers on Maternal and Child Nutrition, summarized from 1,000 Days/AJPH 1,000 Days, in partnership with the American Journal of Public Health, has issued a call for papers for a special issue exploring the importance of the 1,000-day window from pregnancy to age 2 for maternal and child nutrition and health in the United States. The supplement is scheduled for publication in early November 2022 and will highlight how policies, systems, and environments affect the nutrition of mothers and children during the first 1,000 days and summarize the state of the science and research needs related to maternal and child nutrition in the United States. Report on Evidence for Maternal Health and WIC, summarized from FNS The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services published a report titled "Reviewing the Evidence for Maternal Health and WIC." This report addresses actions taken by the Food and Nutrition Service to comply with the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021. The 2021 appropriations act directs USDA to conduct a review of existing evidence and develop a plan to explore how participation in WIC is associated with maternal mortality, emphasizing the needs of communities of color. Advocacy Toolkit on Lactating Workers' Rights, summarized from CWLL The Center for WorkLife Law released a resource titled "Winning New Rights for Lactating Workers: An Advocates Toolkit." The toolkit aims to support advocates fighting at the state level for new legal protections for lactating workers. The publication includes information on existing federal protections, model state legislation, talking points and messaging tips, sample testimony, social media posts, and more. Download the toolkit for guidance on deciding which type of legislation to pursue, key components to consider, and information on lobbying for non-profit organizations. Fact Sheet on COVID-19 Vaccines, summarized from MotherToBaby MotherToBaby released a fact sheet titled "COVID-19 Vaccines." The publication provides answers to common questions about COVID-19 vaccines during pregnancy and breastfeeding, as well as information for those who are trying to get pregnant. | | | | | | State & Community News Report on Breastfeeding Activities in Northeast Region, summarized from WIC The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, Northeast Regional Office released a report titled "The Wonders of WIC: Breastfeeding." The report focuses on work being done at the state and local level in the Northeast region to support WIC families this past year, with an emphasis on breastfeeding. It also highlights National Breastfeeding Month activities. | | | | | | Collective Impact Connection Interview on Centering Equity in Collective Impact Work summarized from CIF The Collective Impact Forum released a podcast episode titled "Bringing an Anti-Racist Approach to Collective Impact: Interview with Dr. Zea Malawa." The interview explores how a collective impact approach can put anti-racism at the center of its work. Dr. Malawa also uses her work with the Expecting Justice initiative to illustrate how collective impact work can authentically center Black and Pacific Islander families and focus on improving infant and maternal health. Paper on Innovation Ambition Continuum, summarized from Tamarack The Tamarack Institute published a paper titled "The Innovation Ambition Continuum." The publication combines several popular resources and frameworks in the change-making field. The author examines how individuals and organizations can approach and define innovation, systems change, and transformation in their work. The paper aims to help audiences think more clearly and collectively about planning and evaluating their work. | | | | | | | | | | | |
